The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-06-18
LITTLE JACOPO.
THE BEAUTIFUL CHILD OF THE NEW
YEAR.

In the autumn Of 1880 was spending a
few weeks at the Hotel Christol, in Boul-
ogne-sur-Mer, which is but short dis
lance by rail from Calais. This seaside
resort is savorite place for both French
and English invalids, because the air Is
generally fresh and well charged with
that indescribable but perfectly well-un-
derstood invigorating element called
ozone. The town is well sheltered from at
mospheric violence,for on one side the tall
cliffs of Boulogne frown down upon the
waters OF the English Channel that chafe
and thrash and thunder at their feet con-
tinually; on the other eide she is equally
well sheltered by the old town OF Boulo.
gne, called affectionately by every Boul-
ognese the "Haute Ville," because it Is
the high town, as compared with the
bathing place-the Bas Ville-which five
hundred feet beneath, has within COM
paratively few number OF years stretched
itself along the side OF the sluggish and
dirty stream which is dignifed by the
title of the river Liane, and runs through
the CO. ter of Boulogne until it escapes
into the English Channel through an
opening in the white cliffs. There is
very little In the Bas Vile that is of in
tereet to visitor except the Etablisse-
ment de Mer, large building and gar
den at the northern end of the town
which are sacred to the pleasures OF the
elite. There they dance, promenade, tirt,
play billiards, battle, or spend hours in
the luxurious reading room, perusing the
journals of all parts of the civilized
world. Boulogne contains hundreds OF
English gentlemen who have found it
mighty COW enient TO quit their native
soil, and these generally find themselves
forced to take to gambling for bare
living, or to the depths of the Liane
where bad luck has utterly broken them
down.
1t SO happened that at the period of my
visit to Boulogne, the weather was al
most continually bad. The rain fell, the
chill and damp winds swept disagreeable
through the streets, and everybody SEEM
ed to be on the verge Of dying OF ennui.
1, with others; was one day asttening my
nose against the hotel window panes OF
the general reception room, watching
the shipping on the Liane or the blue
bloused curriers' as they clattered in
their sabots through the splsshing street.
Suddenly the clouds broke up and the
sun shone brilliantly. Shortly sfterwsrd
a crowd of men and women approached
the hotel across the Lanes swinging
bridge. They we're evidently in state
Of excitement, and the object of their ex-
element seemed to be in their midst, for
the women, men and children ceased their
chattering every few minutes to cast
their eyes down or to point their finger
at something or somebody that was NOV
ing along in their center. The process
sion OF enthusiasts moved on until they
came to the quay. Then they turned to
the left and disappeared in the Halle des
Poissone. All 1 could observe in the
midst OF this picturesque crowd was lit
tie boy, probably ten years of age, who
walked with his eyes fixed steadily be-
fore him as if he was totally unconscious
of anything unusual going on around
him. His face, which was very regular,
pale and beautiful, struck me as being
something unearthly-as if it were tinged
by some influence from heaven or that
mysterious other land which no man can
describe, although regarding it he may
have a thousand fantastic and unstable
fancies.
"What singular looking childF' l ex-
claimed to French gentleman standing
next to me at the window. "The poor
boy is evidently insane"
"Pardon me, monsieur" my compan-